How and why should we implement genomics into conservation?

Evolutionary Applications

Barry J. McMahon¹  Emma C. Teeling² 

[1] UCD School of Agriculture & Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland;UCD School of Biology & Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

关键词: adaptation;    conservation;    conservation prior;    genomics;    next generation sequencing;   

DOI  :  10.1111/eva.12193

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

Abstract

Conservation genetics has provided important information into the dynamics of endangered populations. The rapid development of genomic methods has posed an important question, namely where do genetics and genomics sit in relation to their application in the conservation of species? Although genetics can answer a number of relevant questions related to conservation, the argument for the application of genomics is not yet fully exploited. Here, we explore the transition and rationale for the move from genetic to genomic research in conservation biology and the utility of such research. We explore the idea of a ‘conservation prior’ and how this can be determined by genomic data and used in the management of populations. We depict three different conservation scenarios and describe how genomic data can drive management action in each situation. We conclude that the most effective applications of genomics will be to inform stakeholders with the aim of avoiding ‘emergency room conservation’.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 The Authors. Evolutionary Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.